Electrical surge device



Sept. 12, 1944. G. w. GoLDNr-:R 2,357,887

ELECTRICAL SURGE DEVICE Filed Feb. 3, 1941 47' To APA/fx Patented Sept. 12, 1944 UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE 2,357,887 ELECTRICAL SURGE DEVICE George W Goldner, Clayton, Mo, assigner to James R Kearney Corporation St. Mo.,

Application February 3, 1941, Serial No. 377,124 2 Claims. (Cl. 175-30) surge devices and more specifically to such dematerial, w Ose inner ends are flush with the vices adapted for use ln by-passing surges due inner ends of the tubular members 4 and whose to lightning and other causes and for interouter ends are spaced from the inner ends of rupting power-follow currents which usually ac- 5 the tubular elements 3 said tubular members 4 proved and highly emcient mannen are disposed Within the tubular elements 5, and Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of the improved enlarged head portions which abut against the surge device, parts o1' terminal conductors assoouter ends of said tubular elements E and whose ciated therewith being broken away. peripheral faces are spaced only a slight distance g, 2 is 9, Cr0sssecti0n taken on 1in@ 2`2 of l5 from the portions of the inner faces of the tubu- Fig, 1 lar members 4 to provide restricted .areas 8a.

form of the invention, with portions of terminal tudinally therethrough from end to end thereof. conductors associated therewith broken away. and Said P11185 are Secured ln Fig. 4 is a cross-section taken on line 4`4 2" the tubular elements 6 by the pins 'l' hereinbeof Fig. 1, with an associated terminal conductor fore referred t0 broken away.

ized by being ,an insulator of electrical energy. 3i

At its opposite ends the outer tube l is internally tions 01' the end members 9 are provided with rs 9 have thereof, openings 2' in which are disposed tubu- ,35 Ilgldly Xed there@ 111 any Suitable m3111161', C011- lar elements 3 formed of suitable electrical connectors l2 which receive and mechanically and ducting material. such as metal, said tubular ele electrically engage conductor terminals I3 which ments being extended outwardly from the memare associated with the surge device.

bers 2 and inwardly with respect thereto into In the normal use of the improved surge device the outer tube l with a substantial space being 4o S, illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, thegap 5 of the hereinafter 'set forth. The inner. adjacent porrent, which accompanies such a surge, follows the tions of the tubular members 4 have disposed same path, and as arcs are pr within the interiors thereof relatively short tubu- 55 power-follow current leaping 2 the tubular elements 3 and the tubular elements 8, such arcs are drawn through the restricted areas 8a between the peripheral faces oi the head portions oi the plugs 8 and the adjacent inner tace portions o! the tubular members t. The tubular members l and the plugs 8 are formed of horn ber, and because the passage oi the power arcs through the restricted areas referred to brings the arcs into intimate contact with the horn fiber oi the tubular members 4 and the plugs 8, the heat oi the arcs will cause the parts mentioned to give od a gas which aids in the extinguishment oi the arcs. Also, because the surge device S, of Figs. l and 2, is open throughout its length and at its opposite ends, conducting gases will be quickly expelled from the interior ci the surge device.

In Figs. 3 and 4 vice S' is illustrated, this including an end member threaded cavity i5 formed therein. At the opposite end of the surge device S' another end member I6 is arranged, and in this latter end member a screwthreaded cavity ii is formed. Associated with the end. members i6 and it, and extended from one to the other thereof, is a tubular member i8 which is formed of horn iiber and is provided with externally screwthreaded ends that are screwin the cavities id and il of Also, the surge device S ina different form oi surge detype of surge device it which has a screwinsulating material, such, for instance, as a ceramic material, said outer tube contacting at its apposite ends with gaskets which are interposed between said opposite ends of said outer tube and adjacent faces of the end members id and i6. The end member i4 is provided with a fiange portion 2i which embraces an end portion o the outer tube i9, and the tubular member i8 is provided with annular shoulders which abut against the gaskets 20. Seated in a recess 22 formed in the end member N is a tubular element 23 formed of electrical conducting material, said tubular element being extended longitudinally of the tubular member i8 a substantial distance, and supported in a centrally located opening ormed in the end member it, and secured to the tubular member i8 by a pin 2d', is a similar tubular element 24 which is likewise formed of electrical conducting material. The tubular elements 23 and 24 are spaced apart at their inner ends and the tubular element 23 supports an inner tubular member 25, formed of horn-fiber, which is disposed partially within said tubular element 23 and extends outwardly therefrom toward the inner end of 24. The inner tubular member 25 is secured to the tubular element 23, and to the tubular member I8, by a pin 2, and a restricted area 2l is provided between a portion of the outer face-oi said inner tubular member 25 and a portion ci the inner face of the tubular member i8, which restricted area is located between the inner ends of the tubular elements 23 .and 24.

The end member ifi closes the surge device S at the end thereof at which it is located and an opening 28 is formed through an extension 2S of said end member it through which a portion of terminal conductor 3@ is extended, the surge device and the terminal conductor 30 being secured together by a set screw iii which is associated with the end member id. The end ci the surge device. at which the end member le is located, is open, and this end member id is spaced trom a of s conducting element az that is suitsuch spacing oi the end member the element 82 providing a portion ably supported. from a portion of gap S3.

5 The surge functions just as in Figs. l and eliminates surface device and thereby keeps surge device under normal working conditions. However, when a surge comes on the line, said surge is by-passed around the equipment with which the surge device is associated and through the surge device, and passage of power-follow current through the surge device produces an arc between the inner ends oi the tubular elements 2t and td. This arc is drawn through the restricted area 2l and its heatl causes the horn fiber of the tubular members i@ and 25 to give 0E gas which aids in the extinguishment oi the arc. Because the surge device S' is open at an end thereof conducting gases produced within said surge device are quickly expelled therefrom through said open end.

I claim:

1. An electrical surge device including an outer tube formed oi electrical insulating material, a plurality of tubular conducting elements disposed in alined relation manner that a pair of gaps are provided between ends of adjacent tubular conducting elements over which arcs are formed by power follow current accompanying a surge by-passed by the surge device and so that a space is provided between ends of adjacent tubular conducting elements which serves to keep potential on oi the surge device by preventing surface leakage of current through the surge device, a pair of alined inner tubes disposed within said outer tube each in embracing relation with respect to a pair oi adjacent tubular conducting elements and with respect to the gap therebetween, said inner tubes being spaced apart at their inner adjacent ends at the location of said space between ends oi adjacent tubular conducting elements, and tubular members disposed partially within certain of said tubular conducting elements and projected therefrom at the locations of said gaps, surface portions oi said tubular members being spaced apart slightly from adjacent portions of the faces of the bores of said inner tubes to provide restricted areas therebetween and within said gaps through which arcs formed across said gaps are adapted to extend, said inner tubes and said tubular members being formed of electrical insulating material which gives oil gas in the presence of the heat of an electrical arc that aids in the extinguishment of the arc, said tubular conducting elements and said tubular members being so related that the bores thereof provide an elongated opening which is extended longitudinally of the surge device and communicates with said restricted areas through which elongated opening gas produced within the surge device is vented. A

2. An electrical surge device including an outer tube formed of electrical insulating material, a plurality of tubular conducting elements disposed in alined relation within said outer tube in such manner that a pair of gaps are provided between ends of adjacent tubular conducting elements over which arcs are formed by power follow current accompanying a surge ley-passed by the surge device and so that a space is provided between ends ci' adjacenttubular conducting elements which serves to rigs. a land 4 S shown leakage of current through the 10 potential 0E of the within said outer tube in such keep potential od ci the surge device by preventing surface leakage of the faces of the bores of saidinnertubes toprovide current through the surge device, a pair of aiined restricted areas therebetween and within said members disposed partially within certain of said 10 related that the bores thereof provide an elonbular member and the end of the surge device 15 opening gas produced within the surge device is toward which said tubular member is extended, vented.

surface portions of said tubular members being GEORGE W. GOLDN'ER. 

